On the final day of Pride Month, fashion designer tells me he’s done it all. But I can think of one thing he hasn’t done before—been interviewed by me. (That’s because, well, this is my first interview.
But Jacobs and I have become friends through me shooting his shows for years.) This past Sunday, the designer and I sat down on the eve of his latest collection walking the runway, not to talk about the clothes or fashion rumors, but to chat about the one thing everyone can’t stop talking about: His nails. A set of lacquered nails is nothing new for Jacobs.
“I’ve been wearing silver chrome polish on my nail at my natural length for about the last two years,” he says. But for this year’s Met Gala, Jacobs went for something new, stepping onto the green carpet with a full set of 3xl square-tipped black nails adorned with green rhinestones. “There's this joy I get from dressing up, accessorizing, and expressing myself,” he says.
“This is another component in that kind of joyous puzzle.” We’re both hand-talkers and throughout the interview, Jacobs taps his nails on the table—where casting headshots of approved models are on display—and against each other, making music fit for an ASMR video. His interest in manicures began as a little boy at home, where his mother gravitated toward classic pink-and-whites.
“My mom and her girlfriends always had long French manicures, like Barbra Streisand-ish. I remember being very envious and wondering, ‘Why do w.
